In my country, Italy, I talk about creating a family while our parliament is still debating whether there should be a law against homophobia. This in Italy, where every day hundreds of boys and young men are the victims of bullying.

Next month Andrea has to have a minor operation. But to the government and the hospital's administration I'm nobody in relation to my son. That's how it is: We're family and yet not family, and we stagger back and forth from joy to anxiety.